Former Pakistani speedster Shoaib Akhtar gave a perfect answer when he was asked about the best player between Virat Kohli and Sachin Tendulkar. Akhtar also reasoned his statement later with a perfect explanation.

This debate has been going on for a long time about the best player between Virat Kohli and Sachin Tendulkar. Both have been incredible throughout their respective careers and have won many matches for India.

Both batsmen have scored many runs and have been India’s leading batsmen during their time. Despite the enormous pressure on their shoulders, Kohli and Tendulkar have been able to showcase the best of their batting skills most of the time.

Also Read: Virat Kohli equals Sachin Tendulkar’s legendary record; now aims for Sunil Gavaskar’s feat at Gabba

Shoaib Akhtar responds on Virat Kohli and Sachin Tendulkar debate

During a TNKS podcast, Shoaib Akhtar was asked to respond on the issue of the best player between Virat Kohli and Sachin Tendulkar. Akhtar made a bold claim that there is no chance of Kohli being older than Sachin. He reasoned it by saying that Kohli had never played the kind of players that Tendulkar played during his time.

“I will not say that Virat (Kohli) is a bigger player than Sachin (Tendulkar). Virat can never be a better player than Sachin. How can he be? Virat has never played that quality of bowling. It is not Virat’s fault that he never he bowled quality,” Akhtar said in the podcast.

The rules have changed quite a bit since the Sachin Tendulkar era as batsmen find it easier to score runs. As a result, we can see an increase in the average scores in today’s period.

With the rise of T20 cricket, the sport has become commercialized today. The art of reverse swing also seems to have declined since the use of two new balls in ODI cricket.

“Virat is a player of the T20 era” – Shoaib Akhtar

The former Pakistan fast bowler later claimed that Virat Kohli is a batsman of the T20 era, while Sachin Tendulkar played against the best players to have ever played the game. He also claimed that there was a reverse swing during that time, which made it even more difficult for hitters.

“Virat is a player of the T20 era, but the era in which Sachin played, the talents he played against hats off. Sachin was a very big name. Even Ricky Ponting was a destructive batsman of his era. What Do you think? Playing Fast bowlers of that era were a joke? Reverse swing was also practiced in those days,” Akhtar explained.

Shoaib Akhtar further called Virat Kohli a ‘brand’ and also praised the no. of hundreds scored by him in international cricket. He called Kohli a perfect brand ambassador for cricket promotion.

Akhtar himself had incredible numbers in international cricket and is still considered the fastest bowler of all time. Unfortunately, he was unable to bowl against Virat Kohli as the latter was just breaking into the team when Akhtar was at the end of his career.

Virat Kohli’s crazy numbers in international cricket

Virat Kohli has scored 540 international matches and scored 27257 runs at an average of 52.72. He ranks fourth in the list of leading run-scorers in international cricket across all three formats.

Currently, he is not in great batting form as he is playing in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia. He scored his recent hundred in the first Test of the series in Perth, but failed in both innings of the second Test in Adelaide.